Grain-car door.



H. J. BIOKLE & M. MCMILLAN,.

GRAIN GAR DOOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23, 1908.

Patented Nov. 9, 1909.

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Jr BIGKLE & M. MGMILLAN.

GRAIN CAR DOOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23, 1908.

Patented Nov. 9, 1909.

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H J. BICKLE & M. MGMILLAN.

GRAIN CAR DOOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2a, 1908.

939,660. Patented Nov. 9, 1909.

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APPLICATION FILED JULY 2a, 1908.

9539,6605 Patented N019, 1909.

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\JJITNEEEEE iNL/ENTQFPE ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY JAMES BICKLE AND MALGQLM MCMILLAN, OF GLADSTONE, MANITOBA,

CANADA, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-FOURTH. TO CGLIN VIILLIAMI McIVIILLA'N, OF WEST- BOURNE, CANADA, AND ONE-FOURTH T0 CHARLES HENRY KENNY, OF \VINNIPEG,

CANADA.

GRAIN-CAR DOOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY Janus Brenna, agent, and MALCOLM MGHILLAX, contractor, both of the town of Gladstone, in the Province of Manitoba, Canada, have jointly invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain-Car Doors, of which the following is the specification.

Our invention relates to grain car doors and the objects of the invention are, firstly, to provide a strong durable and inexpensive door, equally adapted for use in the unloading of coal, grain, or such like material, secondly, an attached door which can be quickly removed from the doorway opening to release material within the car and which when not in use can be readily placed to either the inside or the outside of the car, and lastly, means whereby such door when shut can be locked in position.

It consists essentially in a door formed from two sections interconnected the one to the other; means carried by the door posts for receiving the ends of the sections; means for extending and locking the sections in the extended position; a track extending within and without the car from which the door is suspended; and means for automatically raising the door when it is released from the closed position, the parts being arranged and constructed as hereinafter more particularly described.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

F igure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a car showing my door applied and in the closed position. Fig. 2 is an interior view or the car and the door corresponding to that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the car the section being taken in the plane denoted. by the line X X, Fig. 1. Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional view through the car, the section being taken in the plane denoted by the line X X, with the door shown in the released position. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view through the door and the car, in the plane denoted by the line Y Y, Fig. l, the lever being shown in the vertical position. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view through the door in the plane denoted by the line Z Z, Fig. 1, and looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detailed side elevation of the bolts employed to hold the sections of the door together. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detailed perspective view of the lock employed, showing the bolt which secures the lock to the door section. Fig. 9 is a vertical cross sectional view through the track showing the manner in which the door is supported therefrom. Fig. 10 is a sectional plan view taken just above the track 43.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

l and 2 are the ordinary door posts of a car of which 3 is the upper cross beam and a the door sill, such parts bounding the door way opening 5.

6 is the roof of the car and 7 are the face boards to the side of the door posts.

8 are the inner wall boards of the car, which extend upwardly the height to which it is usual to load grain in a car.

9 is the ordinary outside door which is adapted to close over the doorway opening, such door being suspended from the track 10 by hangers 11, as is usual.

19. is a stop secured to the outer face of the door post 1 and against which the outer door 9 abuts when it is closed and to which it is fastened.

13 are rests secured to the outer side of the door sill and adapted to receive the lower edge of the outer door 9.

The door post 1 has a portion of its inner face cut away and within the cut away portion is placed an angle iron is which extends upwardly the ftill length of the cut away portion, that is, the full length of the door post, and is for the purpose of preventing the door, as later described, from being nailed to the door post.

15 is a plate secured to the inner face of the post and itextends slightly beyond the edge of the post, such plate forming with the angle iron a vertically directed channel 16, the length of which is equal to the heightof the door.

1'7 is a vertically directed groove formed within the door post 2 and within the groove is inserted a channel iron 18 which extends upwardly the full length of the groove, that is, the complete length of the door post. The purpose of this channel is also to prevent nails from being driven into the door.

19 is a grain door which formed from outer and inner similar sections 20 and 21, the length of each section being somewhat less than the distance between the door posts.

The height of the door is the same as is usually employed in cars which are to be loaded with grain.

22 and 23 are cross reinforcing strips securely fastened to the outer face of the section 20, the strip 22 being close to the end of the section, and the strip 23 being somewhat set back from the opposite end thereof.

24 and 24 are similar reinforcing cross strips firmly secured to the inner side of the inner section, the strip 24 being fastened near the end of the section, and the strip 24 being somewhat set back from the opposite end thereof. In this way the strips 22 and 24 appear at the opposite ends of the respective sections.

25 are similar bolts of the form best shown in Fig. 7. Each bolt is provided with a head 25 and a partially threaded body portion 25 which terminates in a threaded end 25 of somewhat less cross sectional area than the body. The bolts are each supplied with washers 26 and 27, and nuts 28, each nut being internally threaded so that it can be screwed on the ends 25 of the bolts.

The outer section of the door is provided with four horizontal slots 20, and the inner section of the door, as also the strips 24 and 24 secured thereto, have a similar number of registering openings 29 bored therein. The bolts 25 pass through the slots 20 and into the openings 29 in such a manner that the ends 25 appear on the inner face of the strips. The washers are placed between the head of the bolts and the outer section of the door, and the washers 27 abut the shoulder formed on the bolt. The nuts 28 when secured hold the bolts firmly in position and it will be seen it is impossible to jam the sections together more closely than is desired, as the nuts can only be tightened up to the shoulders. The openings above referred to are of a size to make it necessary when placing the bolts in position that they be screwed into the openings, and therein is the reason for having the body of the bolt threaded as at 25 The object is to hold the bolts firmly to the inner section of the door and prevent any tendency to longitudinal movement. It is to be noticed that when the doors are thus slidably fastened together that the end 30 of the outer section extends beyond the adjoining end of the inner sections, and also that the end 31 of the inner section extends slightly beyond the adjoining end of the outer section.

32 is a slot cut in the outer section of the door, and 33 is a bolt similar to those 25, the body of the bolt screwing into the inner section of the door and through a cross bar 34 fastened at the inner side of the inner and pivoted on a bolt 37 which extends from the inner side of the section 20 through the bar The head 37 of the bolt is counter sunk in the face of the door and the bolt is supplied with the usual nut 37 The bolt 33 passes through an elongated slot 38 formed in the one end of the lever, and the opposite end of the lever is formed so as to clear the face of the door in order that it may be easily grasped and turned. Be tween the head of the bolt 33 and the face of the lever there is an opening the purpose of which will shortly be explained.

39 is a latch or looking bar pivotally centered on the bolt 40 which passes outwardly from the outer section of the door, the head of the bolt being counter sunk on the inner face of the section. 40 is a nut on the latter bolt for the purpose of retaining the latch on the bolt. The extending end of the latch is cut away at 41 to form a shoulder 42 on the latch. hen the latch is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the shoulder engages the bolt 33 and in this way locks the lever in the closed position, it being understood that the latch passes beneath the head of the bolt or into the opening between the bolt and the end of the lever already referred to.

43 is a track of the form best shown in Fig. 9 where it will be seen that it consists in the body portion of channel iron cross sect-ion having the inwardly and upwardly directed flanges 44 and 45. The track is secured centrally to the upper cross beam 3 of the doorway opening and has its end extending, respectively, one to the outside of the car where it is fastened to the face board 7, and the other to the inside of the car where it is fastened to the beam 46. Although the particular manner in which the track is secured to the car is not important yet we prefer that it be secured. centrally by a set of Z-shaped brackets 47 and at the ends by more or less S-shaped brackets 48.

49 and 50 are rollers interconnected by a cross shaft 51, the rollers being designed to pass within the track and operate on the flanges 44 and 45. WVhen they are inserted in position the ends of the track are closed to prevent them running ofi the flanges.

52 is a bar centered on the shaft 51 and having its extending end provided with a ring 53 from which pass chains 54 and 55, the chains being connected to the door in any suitable or convenient manner. The

length of the chains is such that they remain taut when the door is in the closed position.

In order that the outer door 9 may close completely over the doorway opening it is necessary, on account of the track, to cut away a portion 9 from its inner face at the upper corner.

56 is a tension spring connected at its ends to the chains so that when the door is released it will immediately be raised to clear the door sill, the spring drawing the chains to ether, as will readily be under stood. With this form of suspension from the door it will be seen that it is free, when released, to be swung in any direction, as well as capable of having a lateral movement to either the outside or the inside of the car immediately to the sides of the doorway opening.

57 is an upper door which is supplied, when the lighter grains are to be carried in the car, and it fits immediately above the grain door with its lower edge resting thereon. I

58 is atrack passing longitudinally of the car and secured to the upper cross beam within the car and the door 57 is supported from and secured to the track by chains 59 similar to those 54 and W hen the upper door is placed in position the one end is inserted within the channel iron and the other rests against the angle iron it having been already explained that the plate 15 passes the height of the grain or lower door. It is considered that the pres sure of the grain will keep the free end of this door within the angle iron, and con sequently the door in position.

In order to better understand the construction of the door we will now describe its operation.

hen closing the door it is first brought to a position between the door posts, and the lever is thrown to the position which shortens the door in length. The end 31 is then inserted within the channel 16 and the end 30 is placed directly opposite the channel iron 18. hen in this position the lever is thrown to extend the door and the end 30 is forced within, the channel, closing the door. The latch is placed in its locking position already described, thereby preventing the door from working loose.

To release the door the latch is raised and the lever is thrown to the reverse position, withdrawing the end 30 from the channel 18. As soon as the end passes or is clear of the channel the outwardly directed pressure of the grain swings the door outwardly, thereby completely releasing it. The door can at this point be removed to the side of the doorway opening by causing the rollers to pass along the track, where it will be entirely out of the way.

We wish to draw particular attention to the fact that when the door being released the inner section remains stationary and the outer section slides over it, the inner section being held firmly in place by the ontward pressure of the grain. This renders it a great deal easier to open the door than it would be it it were necessary to give motion to both sections, or slide the inner section over the outer.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. In a d .vice of the class described the combination with the door posts, one or": which has a vertically directed channel formed therein at the inner edge, the other of which has a vertically directed channel formed within the face of the post, of a grain door formed from two overlapping sect-ions each of a length, less than the distance between the door posts, the outer one being provided with a number of longitudinal slots, bolts passing through the slots and into the inner section whereby the sections are rendered slidably interconnected, a lever pivotally fastened to the outer section, a bolt passing through the end of the lever and into the inner section there being a longitudinal slot formed in the outer section through which the said bolt passes, and a latch having a shoulder formed thereon which is adapted to engage with the bolt to lock the parts in position, as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a device of the class described the combination with a grain car door formed from two slidably interconnected and overlapping sections, or a lever pivotally tastened to the outer section, said lever having a slotted end, a bolt extending through the slot and into the inner section there being an opening formed on the outer section through which said bolt passes and a looking bar pivotally fastened to the outer section and adapted to engage with the bolt and having a portion of its outer end cut away to form a shoulder which is adapted to engage the bolt to hold the parts in locked position, as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a device of the class described the combination with a grain door of suspension means for the door consisting in a set of interconnected and diverging chains having their free ends connected to the door, and their upper ends carried by a track passing across the doorway opening, and a spring connecting the chains together intermediate their ends as and for the purpose specified.

l. In a device of the class described the combination with a grain door and the body of the car to the sides of the doorway opening, of a track secured to the body of the car and passing longitudinally from the exterior to the interior thereof, and suspending means operative on the track and concross shaft, a bar on the shaft and diverg- 7 ing chains passing from the bar and secured to the door as and for the purpose specified.

combination with the grain car door and the Signed at lVinnipeg, in the Province of 15 5 Walls of the car to th fe side of the doorway Manitoba, this 19th day of June 1908.

openin of a track ormed from channel iron ha ving inwardly and upwardly turned flanges thereon, such track being secured at its one end Within the car and at its outer Vitnesses: :0 end without the car, a set of rollers operat- JAS. M. TAPLEY,

ing on the flanges and interconnected by a GERALD S. ROXBURGH. 

